had but just escaped from slavery, and was of
course very poor, and remarked further, that I was unable to pay for it
then; the agent, however, very willingly took me as a subscriber, and
appeared to be much pleased with securing my name to his list. From this
time I was brought in contact with the mind of William Lloyd Garrison.
His paper took its place with me next to the bible.

The _Liberator_ was a paper after my own heart. It detested slavery
exposed hypocrisy and wickedness in high places--made no truce with
the traffickers in the bodies and souls of men; it preached human
brotherhood, denounced oppression, and, with all the solemnity of God's
word, demanded the complete emancipation of my race. I not only liked--I
_loved_ this paper, and its editor. He seemed a match for all the
oponents(sic) of emancipation, whether they spoke in the name of the
law, or the gospel.{276} His words were few, full of holy fire, and
straight to the point. Learning to love him, through his paper, I was
prepared to be pleased with his presence. Something of a hero worshiper,
by nature, here was one, on first sight, to excite my love and
reverence.

Seventeen years ago, few men possessed a more heavenly countenance than
William Lloyd Garrison, and few men evinced a more genuine or a more
exalted piety. The bible was his text book--held sacred, as the word of
the Eternal Father--sinless perfection--complete submission to insults
and injuries--literal obedience to the injunction, if smitten on one
side to turn the other also. Not only was Sunday a Sabbath, but all
days were Sabbaths, and to be kept holy. All sectarism false and
mischievous--the regenerated, throughout the world, members of one body,
and the HEAD Christ Jesus. Prejudice against color was rebellion against
God. Of all men beneath the sky, the slaves, because most neglected and
despised, were nearest and dearest to his great heart. Those ministers
who defended slavery from the bible, were of their "father the devil";
and those churches which fellowshiped slaveholders as Christians, were
synagogues of Satan, and our nation was a nation of liars. Never loud or
noisy--calm and serene as a summer sky, and as pure. "You are the man,
the Moses, raised up by God, to deliver his modern Israel from bondage,"
was the spontaneous feeling of my heart, as I sat away back in the
hall and listened to his mighty words; mighty in truth--mighty in their
simple earnestness.

I had not lo